Page 42 of Ashes

“No.”

His brow furrows.

“Come on. Let me at least take a look. I know what I’m doing. I took care of my brother when he came home wounded after a fight and whatever thing he had to do with my father.”

He just watches me for a few moments, but then he nods. “Okay. But let’s go to my room. It’s closer.”

“Sure.”

“The kit is in that closet over there.” He points at it.

“All right.” I go to the closet, which is almost identical to the one in my room.

Actually, everything is similar, except a little bigger.

He has more shelves and closets.

I open the closet. The kit is right there, so I grab it.

When I turn around, Victor is shirtless.

I stop dead in my tracks, staring at his strong, bruised chest.

Blinking, I force my feet to move.

Victor sits down on the bed, and I settle next to him. He has a cut on his shoulder, so I focus on it first.

“Were you in a fight?” I ask, hoping he’ll tell me.

“I guess you could say that.” He sighs.

“What happened?”

“My father.”

“What?” My eyebrows shoot up. “What do you mean?”

“Remember the asshole from the club? The one I forced to release his sex slave?”

“How could I forget?”

“Well, he complained to my father about it.”

“Wow. What a loser.”

“Yeah.” He lets out a laugh. “My father wasn’t happy about it for some reason, and when he’s not happy, he makes his six favorite guards deal with the person who pissed him off. Meaning, me.”

“What?” I gape at him. “He had his guards beat you up?”

“It’s what he does. He used to do it himself, but then I grew up, and he knew I’d fight back. He never goes anywhere without his guards. They’re always close by.”

“That’s messed up.”

“He doesn’t think it is. He thinks that because he’s boss he’s always doing what’s best for everyone.”

“Being boss doesn’t make him a god.”

He snorts. “Try telling him that.”